[quote author=e-mom link=topic=17116.msg254011#msg254011 date=1225251191]some kid in my sons class said "my daddy said you have to vote for mccain cause he suffered. Since he suffered he deserves to be president. You can't be president if you didn't suffer alot"[/quote]

As you well know, being tortured doesn't necessarily prepare one for being President (except in dealing with the press and the current Speaker of the House). But the strength and courage which one demonstrates in surviving are a decent predictor for how one will deal with future adversity. We know that McCain has handled tough times well, and it's a good bet that he will continue to do so. With Obama, I don't have a clue. Do you? Wishful thinking doesn't count.

Suffering does create character, but what kind? The man told them off the bat his daddy was an admiral and there have always been rumors about how much torture he really went through. My dad was over there during that time and even he heard the stories.

Truth or not--who knows? His character was not strong enough to deal with a woman who was disfigured in a car wreck. It wasn't strong enough to say no to Keating and the rest. How can we be sure THESE examples are not the normal way he handles pressure?